A donut-shaped steamed milk bun sounds healthier than a regular donut and very interesting for a bun. Steamed milk bun is a very kid-friendly food, which is healthy and easy to make. My son loves those cute donut steamed milk buns very much because it’s cute and tasty. I also have another recipe for the steamed bun with the custard filling inside. I can’t wait to share more and more cute looking characters steamed milk buns by using this recipe. What are you waiting for?
How to get a smooth steamed milk bun?
- First, the flour is the key. I use bread flour and all-purpose flour together to create a soft milk bun. However, you can use the same portion of all-purpose flour if you don’t have bread flour, which will bring you a fluffy bun as well.
- Secondly, keep kneading the dough for 15 minutes or until it becomes smooth. Knead dough could be very tiring if you don’t have a stand mixer; however, it determines if the bun will be properly raised or not.
- Adding food coloring to the dough can also be a little bit challenging. The only way to get a nice evenly colored dough is to keep kneading the dough.
- Last but not least, take the time to let the dough proof. Usually, proofing will take about 1 to 2 hours depends on the temperature and humidity level. In order to speed up proofing time, I used to put the bun in the microwave and with two cups of hot water and leave the door closed. It takes least than an hour to get the bun fully raised.
How to keep the bun if you have some left?
- You can pack them in a plastic bag and keep in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. To serve, you can reheat it in a steamer for 10 minutes.
Mix all-purpose flour, bread flour, sugar, yeast, oil, and milk in a large mixing bowl. Knead the dough for 15 minutes or until it becomes smooth.
Evenly divide the dough into five portions 30g for each. And keep the rested dough for making the eyes and mouths.
Add the food coloring powder to the dough. Keep kneading the dough until the color is well mixed and smooth. I used orange carrot powder, purple sweet potato powder, and blue butterfly pea powder for the main body, and the cocoa powder for making eyes and mouths. Cover the dough with plastic film to avoid dryness.
Cut the baking paper into the size of 5 x5, so that you can place the donut shape dough on it.
Take the blue dough, and roll it into a ball. Gently press the dough to make it flat. Use a pastry tube to make the hole in the center of the dough. And remove the dough from the pastry tube to make two hands. Please take a little bit of white dough, flatten it by roller, and cut it into a circle. Brush water on the dough, and attach two hands and a white flatten circle piece on it. (Please see pictures for the details).
Take the yellow dough, and roll it into a ball. Gently press the dough to make it flat. Use a pastry tube to make the hole in the center of the dough. And remove the dough from the pastry tube to make two hands and a pair of ears (here I used two different colors). Brush water on the donut dough, and attach two hands and ears on it. (Please see pictures for the details).
Take the pink dough, and roll it into a ball. Gently press the dough to make it flat. Use a pastry tube to make the hole in the center of the dough. And remove the dough from the pastry tube to make the bow. (See the picture) Flatten the dough by the roller, cut it into two small circles and stick them together become a tiny bow. Brush water on the top of the donut dough, and attach the bow on the top.
Get the brown dough to make the eyes and mouths for each of the donut doughs. You can make any kind of facial expression for them.
Once you have sculpted them all, place them at a warm and moist place for proofing. I always leave the buns in the microwave with two cups of hot water to create a warm temperature and a high humid environment for them to rise.
The proofing takes about 1 to 2 hours. Once the buns become 1.5 the size bigger and fluffy, it is ready to steam.
Boiling the water and steam the buns over high heat for 17 minutes. Turn off the heat and keep the buns in the steamer for extra 3 minutes before taking out.
Ingredients
Directions
Mix all-purpose flour, bread flour, sugar, yeast, oil, and milk in a large mixing bowl. Knead the dough for 15 minutes or until it becomes smooth.
Evenly divide the dough into five portions 30g for each. And keep the rested dough for making the eyes and mouths.
Add the food coloring powder to the dough. Keep kneading the dough until the color is well mixed and smooth. I used orange carrot powder, purple sweet potato powder, and blue butterfly pea powder for the main body, and the cocoa powder for making eyes and mouths. Cover the dough with plastic film to avoid dryness.
Cut the baking paper into the size of 5 x5, so that you can place the donut shape dough on it.
Take the blue dough, and roll it into a ball. Gently press the dough to make it flat. Use a pastry tube to make the hole in the center of the dough. And remove the dough from the pastry tube to make two hands. Please take a little bit of white dough, flatten it by roller, and cut it into a circle. Brush water on the dough, and attach two hands and a white flatten circle piece on it. (Please see pictures for the details).
Take the yellow dough, and roll it into a ball. Gently press the dough to make it flat. Use a pastry tube to make the hole in the center of the dough. And remove the dough from the pastry tube to make two hands and a pair of ears (here I used two different colors). Brush water on the donut dough, and attach two hands and ears on it. (Please see pictures for the details).
Take the pink dough, and roll it into a ball. Gently press the dough to make it flat. Use a pastry tube to make the hole in the center of the dough. And remove the dough from the pastry tube to make the bow. (See the picture) Flatten the dough by the roller, cut it into two small circles and stick them together become a tiny bow. Brush water on the top of the donut dough, and attach the bow on the top.
Get the brown dough to make the eyes and mouths for each of the donut doughs. You can make any kind of facial expression for them.
Once you have sculpted them all, place them at a warm and moist place for proofing. I always leave the buns in the microwave with two cups of hot water to create a warm temperature and a high humid environment for them to rise.
The proofing takes about 1 to 2 hours. Once the buns become 1.5 the size bigger and fluffy, it is ready to steam.
Boiling the water and steam the buns over high heat for 17 minutes. Turn off the heat and keep the buns in the steamer for extra 3 minutes before taking out.